Foreigners sexually assault female workers in Tema, Ghana

Hundreds of young ladies working at the Tema Industrial area are being severely exploited and sexually abused in 'utterly miserable conditions', investigations by revealed.


The paper's investigations in the area revealed that young ladies employed at various companies owned by foreigners at the Tema industrial area and its surroundings are constantly subjected to sexual harassment by top officers of those companies.

The victims include married women dare refuse to their sexual advances because they are either made to lose their jobs without explanation or are accused of stealing things belonging to the companies and, thereby, arrested and bullied by police who are allegedly bribed by those officers.

Many of these young ladies who spoke to this paper said they were being terribly abused and exploited sexually by their rude employers.

Speaking exclusively to the paper during its investigations, a lady who only mentioned her name as Abena said "we are constantly being harassed by the top officials, who are all foreigners, for sex. If you refuse to succumb to the pressure, they will simply dismiss you or find problems for you."

The mother of two children further told this paper that many of them, mostly Indians, Lebanese and Koreans, with the intention of depriving their employees of certain benefits such as medical facility, pension scheme, sick-leave, among others, usually hire staff on a temporary basis, especially young ladies and abuse them sexually without fear of being arrested.

Another former employee who lost her job because she refused to sleep with the manager, an Indian of renowned manufacturing company situated within the free zone, told this paper that the situation is sad and disheartening for many young ladies who work in these companies.

She said apart from those who are already employed, young women who want to get into these companies are either used and dumped or get the jobs and become sex slaves to their employers.

'We have to start work early and close late. Yet they won't allow us to rest but always chasing and demanding sex from us and if you say no, you will be bullied or sacked," another lady said.

According to the lady, when she complained, the manager [employer] told her "you don't deserve this job".

The paper's investigations uncovered that female workers in the Tema industrial area are at risk of getting diseases due to the constant serious sexual abuse and exploitation. Other complaints the paper uncovered include late or unpaid wages and very poor working and living conditions.